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PER-FECT POINT FOR TROTTERS

By Steve Bateman

Last Updated: 01/01/70 1:00am

FULHAM retained their twelve point lead at the top of the First Division after a 1-1 draw with Bolton, although it will be Sam Allardyce's men who will draw more satisfaction from a game that saw the home side overwhelm their visitors for long periods.

The First Division leaders, who finished the game with 10 men after having Luis Boa Morte dismissed,&nbsp;belatedly capitalised on their domination&nbsp;of the opening exchanges when, after 43 minutes, Louis Saha found the impressive Barry Hayles on the edge of the penalty area before a spectacular Per Frandsen&nbsp;equaliser earned a valuable point for Wanderers.

Fulham could have taken the lead after just four minutes when Louis Saha beat Paul Warhurst to a testing Goldbaek corner, only to see his powerful header cleared off the line by Simon Charlton.

Veteran Bolton defender Colin Hendry almost gifted The Cottagers an opener in the 24th minute when his mis-kick fell to former Scotland team-mate John Collins, who smacked his effort against the post from six yards out.

Bolton's first real opportunity of the game came shortly afterwards when Gudni Bergsson got on the end of a Gareth Farrelly corner, only to head over after a suspicion of hand-ball from Fulham right-back Rufus Brevett.

Fulham's opener came when Hendry gambled on Hayles breaking to the right, allowing the former Bristol Rovers striker to spin in the opposite direction before firing a pin-point shot just inside Tommy Wright's right-hand post.

Simon Charlton was Bolton's saviour once again just after the break when a flying Chris Coleman powered a header past a well-beaten Wright only to see the ex-Southampton defender make his second goal-line clearance of the match.

The Trotters drew level against the run of play on 51 minutes, after Andy Melville was adjudged to have impeded Dean Holdsworth.

Frandsen took the resulting free-kick and from 25 yards out, lifted the ball over the Bolton wall before watching it dip beyond the reach of a flailing Maik Taylor in the Fulham goal.

Bolton then had a second penalty claim turned down after Kit Symons appeared to bundle Dean Holdsworth over as he broke into Taylor's area before referee David Law waved away appeals for the spot-kick.

Minutes later, Fulham were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the Wanderers' box which was moved forward by 10 yards after dissent from Bolton defenders.

Tommy Wright did well to block Saha's blast which then fell to Collins who showed tremendous vision in delivering an exquisite chip only for it to loop back off the crossbar.

A highly competitive game finally spilled over with ten minutes remaining when Fulham substitute Boa Morte was given his marching orders after a tete-a-tete with Robbie Elliott in which the Fulham man appeared to dip his head towards the former Newcastle defender.

Sean Davis could have snatched the points for Fulham in the final minute, but his header from six yards out flew just over Tommy Wright's crossbar.